


Sapphire & Gold

by xforevrgonex



Series: Everything The Light Touches [1]
Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Billie Rodriguez, Drama & Romance, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Multi, Slow Burn, everyone gets parents at the start, royals au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-13
Updated: 2016-05-05
Packaged: 2018-06-02 00:05:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6542278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xforevrgonex/pseuds/xforevrgonex
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>King Reyes knows his time is near and so does his daughter. Belinda Reyes, Crown Princess of The Lost Isles, travels far from her father's domain to a far off coast in search of someone who can open the world to her and her people after her father has gone. ((I'm sorry this is a really jank summary. I'm not so great at it lol. Anyways, Danse and Maxson both have parents in this one, and they're both Princes. Is that convincing enough? lol))</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The End

     The royal physician stepped through ornate doors guarded by knights in gold plated armor. Her weary eyes searched the open hall for a brunette dressed in a blue silk gown. She leaned against the railing of glassless windows and stared out as the sun began to dip past the horizon. A damp handkerchief was held in her clamped hand, the sight only brought the man closer to grief. She approached the young woman slowly and cleared her throat alerting brunette to her presence. With a graceful turn of her head, she eyed Curie with red rimmed eyes that dared her to confirm her fears. The doctor bowed her head respectfully and wrung the handle of her medical bag with gloved hands, “I’m sorry, princess, but it’s just as we feared.”

     She wasn’t sure if it was the look of pain that caused the ache in her heart; or the way the princess’ lip trembled as she tried to speak what was on her mind. Either way, guilt began to make its way towards the doctor’s conscience as she revealed the king’s demise. A small hand rested upon her arm as the princess spoke softly, “Thank you, Curie. We knew this day would come. I just hoped it wasn’t so soon.” A fat tear drop rolled down the princess’ round cheek as she turned to walk towards her father’s chambers. The king wished for his daughter to stay away from the entire corridor, for fear of her seeing him so weak and fragile. It would have worked had she not seen him in the throne room listening to the grievances of his subjects. By the time the day was done, he had collapsed from stress on the steps of the dais. It was the second time she had felt true fear in her entire life. The third was when she finally opened the door to reveal his sleeping chambers.

     “Belinda, did I not tell you to stay away from this part of the palace?” Her father’s voice rasped as it echoed in the large room. The once mighty King Juan Reyes was fragile and ashen as he lay underneath a sea of blankets on his massive bed. Worry began to pool in his sunken eyes as his daughter approached his bedside.  
“What is it, my sweet? Why are you so troubled?” A boney hand wiped away the tears that streaked her face as she sat beside him. There was so much to say to him in that moment. But all she could manage was a small sob as she fell into his warm embrace. The king scolded her with a soft ‘tut-tut’ as he stroked her hair, “What did I tell you about crying in my presence, little princess?”

     “Father,” she sniffled, “I’m not little anymore.” A soft kiss was pressed to the top of her head as she wiped at her eyes.  
     “No, my sweet, not to you. But in my eyes you always will be.” A sort of nostalgia crept into his voice while he held his daughter as tightly as he could. With the gentle nudge of his thumb, he lifted her chin so he could look her in the eyes, “My time is coming to an end and I’ll be joining your mother soon. The responsibility of upholding our kingdom will be passed onto you. There will be no room for tears then, only strength.”

     “I know, I just-,” she held her breath for a second for fear of her voice cracking, “I don’t want you to go. Your place is here, no where else.” His stern gaze softened before he placed a kiss to her forehead and motioned for one of the servants to come forward. A lanky young man brought forth a mahogany box and laid it by the king’s side with a bow before receding into the background. The princess peered at the box with a questioning gaze before looking back at her father. With great effort, he handed the object to his daughter and breathed deeply from the spent energy. It was a plain box with a dark finish, lacking any shine from years of not being polished. Belinda ran her fingers along the edge before lifting the top to set it aside. A gold tiara rested in the middle of the box, simply decorated with sapphires and diamonds. With a practiced poise, she set the tiara in place on her head.

     “Your mother wanted you to have this, she wore it the day we were married. We wanted to give this to you sooner but never got the chance to do so. I was waiting for the day you’d finally decided to marry, but you were too busy fighting the battles I could no longer lead. The diamonds were recently added.” A sad smile broke across the princess’ face as she looked at the king, “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.”

     “I understand what it means to carry the burden of your fathers before you, Belinda. I knew it at a far younger age than you. Finding happiness was hard, but your mother saved me from that. Do not forget your joy is important too.” The same sadness that welled in Belinda’s heart began to reflect in the king’s eyes. He didn’t want to leave his beloved child alone in the world, he couldn’t bare the thought of it. If he knew someone would be there to take care of her, he could rest easier on his death bed.

     A soft knock came from the door as one of the knights emerged through. Curie had returned with servant and a bowl of soup. The look of remorse echoed in the physician’s eyes as she rested a hand upon the princess’ shoulder. With one last look at her father, Belinda kissed him goodnight and walked back into the hallway with Curie at her heels.

     “How long does he have in his condition?” The abruptness of her question shocked the brunette into silence before she was able to compose her thoughts.

     “Six months on bed rest. Four if he continues his duties as king.” A silence stretched between them as she stared out the window once again. Belinda looked over her shoulder and clasped her hands together, “I suppose you already told him the limited time he has?” Curie gave a nod in response and exhaled slowly, “You know as well as I do that he will not subject himself to bed rest for such an extended amount of time. I hope this is enough time for you to spend with the king.” Belinda nodded absentmindedly as the royal physician patted her shoulder. Half a year. She had half a year with her father, and half a year to prepare her people for his departure. Half a year to ensure the peace of the kingdom. It would take more than just her to keep her father’s legacy safe.

     “Curie, summon Codsworth to my study. I think it’s time we broke two hundred years of isolation.”


	2. Over The Mountain and Through The Woods

King Jonathan Maxson was ready for damn near everything. He had survived through harsh winters that brought about famine to him and his people. Wars that threatened him from his rightful place upon the throne. Even surviving through his son’s rebellious teen years and his wife’s menopause. What he wasn’t prepared for was a correspondence from The Lost Isles. It was hand written by the crown princess herself and delivered by her most loyal servant, Codsworth. After such long period of isolation from the eastern kingdoms, she wanted to find new allies in the world. 

From what he’s learned, the butler has already informed a neighboring ally, his majesty Nick Valentine, of her coming arrival. His neighboring ally was expecting him by the end of the week, and was already putting things in order to accommodate Maxson’s family and entourage. After the initial shock from reading the short letter, he immediately offered the weary traveller a place at his table and a comfortable room to rest in. He knew the mountain range his palace was housed within was a great feat to traverse. The stocky man thanked Jonathan graciously and bid him goodnight before following a guard to the guest quarters.

By the king’s calculations, it took four days time to make it to Nick’s kingdom in the Valley of The Green. Another two till the Princess of The Lost Isles to reach their shores. He was glad this surprise meeting occurred during the summer. There was enough to spare for the arduous trek and still keep his people well fed. It would be another long night for him and his family before they left the palace tomorrow. He only hoped Arthur wouldn’t protest to leaving on such short notice, and be happy with the idea of being reunited with a childhood friend.

—

The night was long for Arthur, his mother only seemed to prolong it with her constant nagging. He had already agreed to join his parents to welcome the new princess. There was no need for his mother to help him pack. He wasn’t entirely sure why the queen needed to inspect every outfit and belonging he needed for their trip to the coast. _To impress any number of noblewomen you meet along the way. Or the princess herself you oaf_ , she told him repeatedly. In the end, he was permitted a few hours of sleep while she went off to bother his father with preparations. It was just before dawn when he woke to one servant being reprimanded by his mother for ruining one thing or the other. He groaned and rolled out of bed to ready himself for the journey to The Valley. _Best to make it quick_ , he thought to himself, _the faster we’re away from the palace the faster mother can relax_. 

His riding clothes and boots were already laid out at the foot of his bed from the night before. They were simple and light enough to wear under his light fur cloak. There was barely any scruff from his beard and he saw no reason to shave, and settled for washing his face quickly and getting dressed. Before he could pull his boots on, a loud banging came from his door. 

“Arthur Roger Maxson, if you are not down in the stables in the next _two minutes_ I will personally flay you with a butter knife!” The loud banging continued until he swung open the door with a tired smile. There in the doorway stood her majesty, Jessica Maxson. She was a short woman with untamable, brunette curls. Her deep scowl seemed permanently fixed by the wrinkles that framed her red tinted lips. She glared at her son’s lack of greeting and crossed her arms over her chest, “I thought I told you not to wear the brown, it makes you look puffy.” 

“Good morning to you too, mother,” the prince bent down and kissed the top of her head with a sigh. Jessica waved him away and looped her arm through his as they walked towards the stables “You’re lucky you’re my only child, and I love you so much. If I knew you’d be this much trouble me and your father wouldn’t have bothered making you in the first place.” Arthur groaned at his mother’s comment and covered his face with a callous palm, “How were you even considered a noble woman before father met you?”

“Oh please, I hired one of those forest witches to put a spell on your father. The man couldn’t take a god damn hint, so I took matters into my own hands.” A cheeky smile graced his mother’s feature as she patted her sons cheek lovingly. The rest of their short walk was filled with their banter until one of the queen’s handmaidens pulled her away towards the horse-drawn carriage. She blew a kiss to Arthur and then to Jonathan as he approached his son. The warm gesture was not lost on the prince and put a small smile on his face. He greeted his father with a short bow and headed for his waiting stallion. 

“Seems like her majesty is in a good mood this morning. It’s a wonder how you get that woman to be remotely friendly so early.” Jonathan praised his son with a gentle pat on his son’s shoulder before assisting Arthur with dressing his horse. 

“I have a way with woman, that you obviously don’t have. I’m just glad I inherited mother’s suave and not your constant uptight attitude.”

“Poke fun at me now, but wait till it’s your turn to look for a wife and every woman in the kingdom comes for you.” His voice was tinged with a bit of indignation as his own son took a jab at his awkwardness when it came to certain social situations. He sighed softly as his son mounted the stallion with ease and patted his knee. He would remember to announce Arthur’s need to find a suitable match for a spouse as soon as they returned home. He would see how the young prince would fair then.

“Get your ass on your horse, your highness. I’ve been waiting for far too long already. A second more and I’ll march right into the valley myself.” Jessica’s shouting brought him out of his train of thought. He turned around and waved off his queen’s empty threat and seated himself atop his horse swiftly. Codsworth appeared besides him and greeted him with a bow of his head. The man yawned into his palm and offered the same greeting to Arthur. Once a stable hand had confirmed everything was in place for their departure, Jonathan was flanked by his son and Codsworth as they left the palace grounds. 

The next four days were filled with talk of Princess Belinda and The Lost Isles. One afternoon, her majesty asked if any other nobility would be accompanying the princess, Codsworth simply answered no. It wasn’t in the princess’ image to travel with a large entourage. A handful of carefully chosen handmaidens and knights would accompany her to the mainland instead. When Jonathan asked if the king would be traveling with his daughter, a solemn look crossed the man’s face as he responded, “No, a member of the royal family must always be within the domain of the kingdom. It’s seen as a sign of abandonment and resignation of the throne by law.” Arthur’s brow quirked at the simple fact and strode closer towards his father, “I suppose I should be far more grateful with our freedom.” 

“Well, the Isles is a large kingdom with thousands of regions to oversee. His majesty is the single presence that holds everything together. The royal family come from a long line of conquerers and war lords. Since his majesty’s reign, our southwestern borders have expanded after a war with an enemy nation. The Late Queen Maria herself joined in the frontlines alongside her husband.”

“Wait,” Arthur interrupted, “you have a soldier for a queen?” Jonathan shot his son a glare for his incredulous tone. Thankfully, Codsworth was rather happy to inform his company, “Why yes! It’s rather common for the king’s spouse to act long side him as his equal. Do you not go into battle with her majesty, your highness?”

“The only fighting that the queen ever participates in are the ones she starts.” A distressed looked crossed his face as he felt a slight throb near his temple when he thought of their last argument. The memory was short lived when a small pin cushion hit the back of his head with a _thump_.

“I heard that, and it’s not like you’d have me any other way, Jonathan.” Jessica’s head was propped outside the carriage window with a smirk wrinkling the corners of her lips. A light blush colored his cheeks as he slowed his horse to let the carriage catch up with him. Jessica’s brow quirked in surprise when he pulled down the hand from under her chin and brought it to his lips, “Of course not, love.”

“Oh, umm, my king,” any sly comment she was ready to say was stopped by the rare display of affection. A soft chuckle rumbled in his chest with a broad smile. 

“For someone who runs her mouth without much care, one would think a small kiss wouldn’t affect you.” 

“Just get in the carriage with her already, old man,” Arthur called over his shoulder and strode ahead with Codsworth at his flank. Disgruntled shouts came from behind the two as they rode ahead of the party. No doubt he would hear from his mother later on, but it was worth teasing his parents. 

“Is it really wise to antagonize his majesty that way?” Codsworth’s concern was waved away by Arthur without mind, “They clearly love each other. Why shouldn’t they express it?”

“That’s quite the romantic thought, your highness.” The prince eyed the man beside him and pushed away his comment. In his eyes, if there was love it should be expressed openly and not covered the way his parents acted. The pair rode ahead for a moment longer when the islander cleared his throat, “Your grace, I have a confession to make. I was also sent here by my king on an ulterior mission. The princess is the sole heir to the throne of the Lost Isles. She had agreed to a marriage on her twentieth birthday. Unfortunately, it ended in such tragedy that the princess doesn’t dare think of a union with love. The king is more pressed to finding her a suitable husband to rule by her side.” Arthur raised his hand to silence Codsworth. He had heard the same proposal time and time again. From his parents and ambassadors alike, but he wouldn’t accept any of them. 

“Sir, I believe I understand what your king asks of you. But hear me when I say I will not be considering such proposals any time soon. I have far too much living to do before the thought is able to cross my mind.” Codsworth accepted the prince’s answer and faced forward, leaving him to dwell on his task. It would be another week before Belinda had arrived at the coast. In the given time, he’d find a way to secure a suitable marriage for her and put the king at ease. At least, he hoped so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyyy, a second chapter!! I've had a hard time writing this wow. It's really not my fave. You'd think for all the scrap fic that I have for this AU that it would've been out sooner lol. In case you needed extra visuals, Queen Maxson is Helena Bonham Carter and my King Maxson is Gerard Butler. I always headcanonned that Arthur and his dad are attracted to older women. Anyways, I have half of the next written up. It just needs finishing. Till next time<3

**Author's Note:**

> Hi everyone, thanks for reading! I wrote this really quickly and thought it was alright enough to be posted. Probably should've thought this through a little better, but I'm pretty satisfied with this beginning. Yeah. Thanks again for reading!


End file.
